Senior Catholic Church leaders, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Koovakad, met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Saturday, following the Funeral Mass of Pope Francis, with Dr Yunus praising the late Pope as ‘an amazing human being’.

The two cardinals recalled Pope Francis’s lifelong mission to champion the causes of the poor and marginalized, his efforts to eradicate poverty, and his vision of a world without war or nuclear weapons.

They deeply appreciated Prof Yunus’ work, describing him as a close friend of the late Pope and thanking him for dedicating his life to the fight against poverty.

Prof Yunus reminisced about his long association with Pope Francis, saying the Pope had the ability to embrace everyone, regardless of their religious background.

"He was an amazing human being," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted Prof Yunus as saying.

He recalled meeting Pope Francis many times during his pontificate and highlighted how one of his critical letters to the Holy See — addressing the need to reform the Vatican Bank — was published on the front page of the Vatican’s official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

"I wrote about how the Vatican should reform its bank to make it friendlier to the poor. I was critical of its performance and controversies. Yet, the Pope published the entire letter," he said.

Professor Yunus shared how Pope Francis appointed him to chair several committees focused on reforming the Vatican’s banking practices and expanding the Church’s pro-poor initiatives.

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In November, the Vatican launched the Pope Francis–Yunus Three Zero Clubs in Rome, aimed at promoting Professor Yunus’s vision of a world with zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions.

"I am a Muslim. Yet Pope Francis never objected to his name being used alongside a person from a different faith," Professor Yunus noted.

He also recounted being honored with the Torch of St. Francis of Assisi by the Catholic Church for embodying the spirit of the 13th-century Italian mystic and saint.

"He never treated me as an outsider," Professor Yunus said, reflecting on his rich memories with the late Pope.

Cardinal Tomasi and Cardinal Koovakad mentioned that the College of Cardinals, of which they are key members, will meet next week to elect the next Pope. Both cardinals are seen as potential candidates for the Church’s top leadership position.

Meeting with Cardinal Tomasi

Cardinal Tomasi, a longtime former Permanent Observer of the Holy See in the UN offices in Geneva, called on the Chief Adviser on Saturday.

Cardinal Tomasi, who recently visited Southeast Asia, discussed geopolitical issues with the Chief Adviser. Both leaders praised Pope Francis’s efforts to call for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Prof Yunus pays last respect to Pope Francis, attends his funeral with global leaders

"Southeast Asia is evolving too fast," he said, reflecting on his visit to Vietnam, which has been clocking robust growth in recent years.

He stressed more peace-building measures in the region and staying calm in times of tension.

Professor Yunus also praised Vietnam's spectacular economic growth, saying his government was trying to emulate the South Asian nation in its efforts to attract more foreign investments and turn Bangladesh into an economic hub.

Cardinal Tomasi said he hoped the next Pope would "keep the informality of Pope Francis" and "promote dialogue of peace among countries."

Meeting with Cardinal Jacob Koovakad

Earlier in the afternoon, Cardinal Koovakad, who is the Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, called on the Chief Adviser at his hotel in Rome.

Cardinal Koovakad, who is from the Indian state of Kerala, announced that the Catholic Church in Bangladesh would host an interfaith dialogue in September this year, bringing together leaders from various religions.

Professor Yunus emphasised the importance of continued dialogue among people of different faiths in Bangladesh, and highlighted the country's commitment to religious harmony and the Interim Government’s efforts to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, creed, color, or gender.

Lamiya Morshed, SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator; Tareq Ariful Islam, Ambassador to the Vatican; and Rokebul Haque, Ambassador to Italy, were also present during the meetings.

Prof Yunus departed the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport around 8:00 am (12:00pm Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday.

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He is expected to reach home in the early hours on Monday, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.